Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for automatically testing, monitoring and managing the pricing and other sales information associated with products sold by vending machines. A price or other sales information associated with a product is initially adjusted at one or more initial vending machines, before automatically and progressively expanding the new price or other sales information to additional vending machines, upon verification of a successful change. Successful test results are thus automatically propagated to additional vending machines for further testing in the market. The sales information that can be tested includes price, product placement instructions, new advertising or promotional instructions, and packaging instructions for the sale of a group of products at a single price.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 31, 1998
Date of Patent:
May 8, 2001
Assignee:
Walker Digital, LLC
Inventors:
Jay S. Walker, Daniel E. Tedesco, James A. Jorasch
Abstract: A pricing control system for multi-operation vending machines, such as those commonly found in laundromat facilities, incorporates an offset price setting field for storing at least one incremental offset price which is added to a pre-established base price in order to set the cost for a respective vending machine operation. In accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention, a single offset price is used to increment each of the base prices established for a given vending machine such that the costs associated with each of the operations is incremented an equal amount. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, multiple offset price amounts are stored and added to predetermined base prices to establish the cost of each of the respective vending machine operations.
Abstract: The invention provides a self-service computer having a monitor which can access and display documents using browser software, and including software for providing at least one image which includes controls for the browser software. A microphone, speaker, camera and serial input device can be added to the kiosk to extend its functionality. The serial input device can be provided as a card swipe reader, a bar code reader, a smart card reader, a personal identification verifier and combinations of these. Examples of personal identification verifiers include palm print readers, retina scanners, voice analyzers, finger print scanners, DNA testers, and the like.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 1, 1998
Date of Patent:
June 20, 2000
Assignee:
Lexitech, Inc.
Inventors:
Jason D. Bernstein, Alexander D. Richardson, Paul W. Blodgett, Joseph P. McGuire